Keyword Gap & Competitor Analysis

🗺️ Competitive Positioning Map vs Manage Competitors Explained

Overview Search Atlas has two separate features that involve competitors and positioning. They look similar in name but work very differently. This article explains both so you can find the right tool for what you need. The Competitive Positioning Map (Site Explorer) The Competitive Positioning Map is a bubble chart located inside Site Explorer. It automatically plots your domain alongside competing domains based on organic traffic and keyword overlap data pulled directly from Search Atlas's database. This chart cannot be manually edited. The domains that appear are determined automatically by Search Atlas based on shared keyword rankings and traffic signals — you cannot add, remove, or swap competitors shown in it. Here is what you can expect from this chart: - Competitors are selected automatically based on keyword overlap with the domain you enter. - The chart updates as Search Atlas refreshes its underlying data. If a competitor you expect to see is not appearing, it most likely does not share enough keyword overlap with the domain to qualify for inclusion at that point in time. Manage Competitors (AI Visibility) If you want to manually control which competitors you track, the right place is the Manage Competitors feature inside AI Visibility. Unlike the Competitive Positioning Map, this area allows you to define exactly which domains are tracked alongside yours. If you are unsure how to add, remove, or update competitors in this section, our support team can walk you through the exact steps for your account setup. This list is fully within your control and is separate from any automated data shown in Site Explorer. Quick Comparison - Competitive Positioning Map (Site Explorer): Automatic, data-driven, read-only bubble chart — cannot be edited manually. - Manage Competitors (AI Visibility): Manual, editable list — you choose which competitors to track. Which One Do I Need? Use this guide to identify the right feature: - If you want to see how your domain compares to automatically identified competitors based on keyword data, use the Competitive Positioning Map in Site Explorer. - If you want to choose specific competitors to track over time, use Manage Competitors in AI Visibility. When contacting support about either feature, please have ready: the domain you are analysing, the name of the feature you are using (Competitive Positioning Map or Manage Competitors), and a description of what you expected to see versus what actually appeared. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

📘 Keyword GAP Tool

The Keyword GAP tool allows you to compare keyword performance between your website and up to five competitors. By identifying shared, missing, and unique keywords, the tool highlights gaps in your SEO strategy and helps refine keyword targeting for stronger search visibility. Use it to discover opportunities where competitors rank but you don’t, track keywords you share, and identify unique keywords that give your site an edge in authority. 👣Step-by-Step Instructions 1. Setting Up a Keyword GAP Analysis 1. Go to Keywords → Keyword Gap (Keyword Gap Analysis) in your dashboard. 2. Enter your Primary Website (your business domain). 3. Enter up to Five Competitor Websites. 4. Click Analyze Keywords to begin. 2. Reviewing General Information After running the analysis, you’ll see: - Primary Website → Your domain. - Competitor Websites → Domains you entered. - Searched On → Date of analysis. 3. Exploring View Options (Tabs) The Keyword GAP tool provides multiple tabs to analyze results: - Keyword Gap → Keywords competitors rank for but your site does not. Highlights missed opportunities. - Keywords in Common → Keywords ranked by both your site and competitors, useful for benchmarking. - Keyword Opportunities → Keywords with strong ranking potential for your site. - Unique Keywords → Keywords your site ranks for but competitors do not, showing areas of authority. - All Keywords → A complete list from all the above categories. 4. Understanding Data Fields Each tab displays detailed data for comparison: - Keyword → Search term being analyzed. - MSV (Monthly Search Volume) → Average monthly searches over the past 12 months. - Your Website → Ranking position and data for your site. - Competitors’ Websites → Ranking position and data for each competitor. 💡 You can sort MSV in ascending or descending order for easier prioritization. ❓ FAQs ❓ What does the Keyword GAP tool do? 💡 It compares keyword performance of up to six sites, showing opportunities and gaps in rankings. ❓ How can it improve my SEO strategy? ⚡ It uncovers missed keywords and competitor opportunities so you can refine keyword targeting. ❓ How does the tool compare sites? ✅ By analyzing shared, unique, and missing keywords across your site and competitors. ❓ What is a Keyword Gap? 💡 Keywords competitors rank for but your site does not, showing traffic expansion opportunities. ❓ What does the “Keywords in Common” tab show? ⚡ Keywords ranked by both your site and competitors—helpful for benchmarking. ❓ What are Keyword Opportunities? ✅ Keywords where your site could achieve higher rankings with optimized content. ❓ What are Unique Keywords? 💡 Keywords only your site ranks for, highlighting your authority and competitive edge. ❓ What does the “All Keywords” tab include? ⚡ A full list of keywords from all comparison categories. ❓ What does MSV mean? ✅ MSV = Monthly Search Volume, the average keyword searches over 12 months. ❓ How often should I use the Keyword GAP tool? 💡 Monthly or quarterly to stay updated on competitor strategies. ❓ How can I leverage unique keywords? ⚡ By creating or optimizing content to strengthen niche authority. ❓ How do I select competitors? ✅ Choose up to five—focus on direct competitors, industry leaders, or aspirational rivals. Closing Note ✅ The Keyword GAP tool gives you a competitive edge by showing exactly where you stand against rivals in search rankings. Use it regularly to uncover opportunities, strengthen authority, and refine your SEO strategy. For further help, reach out to our support team.

🏆 Add and Manage Competitors in Search Atlas

What This Article Covers Search Atlas lets you benchmark your website against competitor domains across keyword rankings, traffic estimates, and content gaps. This article explains how to add competitors and use them for competitive comparisons. How Competitors Work in Search Atlas Competitors are added at the project level. Once added, they become available across multiple tools — including rank tracking and keyword gap analysis — so you only need to set them up once per project. How to Add a Competitor To add a competitor domain to your project, open your project in Search Atlas. Navigate to Site Metrics → Competitors (Organic Competitors / Paid Competitors). Enter your competitor's root domain (for example, competitorsite.com) in the input field provided. Once saved, the competitor domain will appear alongside your website data for comparison. You can add multiple competitor domains to a single project. Comparing Competitors for Rank Tracking Once your competitors are added at the project level, they become available inside the rank tracking area of your project. From there, you can view your tracked keywords alongside ranking data for the competitor domains you have added, allowing you to identify where competitors outrank you and where you hold an advantage. Finding Keyword Gaps Against Competitors The keyword gap tool is designed for competitive keyword analysis. It surfaces keywords your competitors rank for that your site does not, helping you find quick-win opportunities. Open the keyword gap section within Search Atlas, enter your primary domain and one or more competitor domains in the comparison fields, and run the report. Review the results to find keywords where competitors have visibility that your site is missing, and use available filters to prioritize by search volume or difficulty. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🏆 How to Add & Edit Competitors in Topical Dominance

Topical Dominance measures how strongly your domain performs across specific topics compared to selected competitors. If competitors aren't configured correctly, your heatmaps, topic breakdowns, and dominance scores may appear incomplete or inaccurate. This guide explains how to add competitors, edit or remove competitors, fix common issues, and follow best practices for accurate comparisons. 📍 Where to Find Competitor Settings Inside the dashboard, go to Left Sidebar → Site Metrics → Topical Dominance. Topical Dominance navigation path Once inside, locate the Competitors panel, click Edit competitors, and the Add Competitors modal will open. ➕ How to Add Competitors Adding a competitor domain When the modal opens, enter a competitor's root domain (for example, domain.com), click Add competitors if adding multiple (up to 5 competitor domains), and click Analyze. You must add at least one competitor for analysis to run. Analyze button ✏️ How to Remove or Replace Competitors Inside the competitor modal, click the trash icon next to any domain to remove it, add a new domain, and click Analyze again to refresh the data. You can update competitors at any time without losing your project. 🔎 Common Symptoms and What They Mean Heatmap not loading — usually happens when too many competitors are added at once, or a domain is invalid or malformed. Topic Breakdown shows empty rows — often caused by no overlapping keyword universe, a country mismatch, or a recently added competitor still processing. Scores showing as 0 — may occur if the domain has low topical coverage, an incorrect region is selected, or the competitor is too unrelated. Data seems inconsistent — often caused by mixing subdomains and root domains, different country markets, or different business models. ⚙️ Recommended Setup (Best Practices) Use 3–5 competitors maximum, since adding too many domains can slow processing and dilute clarity. Use root domains only (for example, example.com — avoid paths like example.com/service-page or subdomains like blog.example.com). Keep the same country selected for all domains, and compare similar business types (dealership vs. dealership, SaaS vs. SaaS, local service vs. local service) rather than mixing fundamentally different models. 🚨 Important: This Is Not a Data Loss Issue If results appear blank or incomplete, this does not mean data is lost. Topical Dominance recalculates comparative topic clusters every time competitors change, and large comparative runs may temporarily affect visualization until processing completes. If needed, remove all competitors, add them back incrementally one at a time, and re-run the analysis. 📊 Understanding What Competitors Impact Competitors directly affect heatmap visualization, specific topic coverage, topic gap analysis, comparative dominance scores, and keyword overlap modeling. The more strategically chosen your competitors are, the more meaningful your insights become. 🎯 Strategic Tip Topical Dominance is most powerful when used to identify semantic gaps, discover undercovered topic clusters, prioritize content expansion, and benchmark authority growth over time. Choosing the right competitors turns this from a visual tool into a strategic roadmap. Your competitors define your comparison universe. If they're too broad, too different, or too many, your insights get diluted. If they're relevant, aligned, and strategically selected, Topical Dominance becomes one of the most powerful authority-mapping tools inside Search Atlas. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

📊 Track Competitor Rankings Alongside Your Keywords

📌 What This Article Covers This article explains how competitor keyword ranking data works in Search Atlas today. A previous version of the platform included a standalone side-by-side competitor ranking column inside project settings. That feature has been removed in a recent product update. If you were directed here after receiving conflicting information, this article reflects the current, accurate state of the platform. 🔍 Where Competitor Ranking Data Lives Now Competitor keyword rankings are no longer surfaced as a separate side-by-side column inside your tracked keyword reports. Instead, the best way to compare your rankings against competitors on a keyword-by-keyword basis is through the Keyword Gap tool. To access it, go to Left sidebar → Keywords → Keyword Gap (Keyword Gap Analysis). This tool is purpose-built for competitive keyword comparison and provides the most complete view of where you and your competitors rank for overlapping and unique keywords. 📈 How to Use Keyword Gap for Competitor Comparisons 1. In the left sidebar, click Keywords, then select Keyword Gap (Keyword Gap Analysis). 2. Enter your domain in the primary field. 3. Add one or more competitor domains in the comparison fields. 4. Click Analyze Keywords to generate the report. 5. Review the results table, which displays keyword rankings for your domain and each competitor side by side. You can filter results to show keywords where competitors outrank you, keywords unique to your domain, or keywords shared across all domains. This gives you a clear, actionable picture of ranking gaps and opportunities. 📡 Monitoring Your Own Rankings Over Time If your goal is to track how your own keyword rankings change week over week, use the Rank Tracker. Navigate to Left sidebar → Keywords → Rank Tracker (Keyword Rank Tracker). Here you can add keywords to a project and monitor position changes over time. Note: Rank Tracker is focused on your domain's performance. For direct competitor position comparisons at the keyword level, Keyword Gap remains the recommended tool. 🌐 Checking Domain-Level Competitor Metrics For a broader view of any competitor's organic presence — including their top keywords, estimated traffic, and ranking distribution — use Site Metrics. Navigate to Left sidebar → Site Metrics and enter a competitor's domain directly into the search bar. This gives you a snapshot of their overall keyword profile without needing to set up a tracked project. 🤖 AI Visibility and Brand Monitoring If you are also interested in how your brand or your competitors appear in AI-generated search responses, the AI Visibility tool provides that data. Navigate to Left sidebar → AI Visibility. This is a separate capability from traditional rank tracking and is particularly useful for monitoring presence in LLM-based search environments. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions - Can I add competitors directly inside a Rank Tracker project? At this time, the Rank Tracker does not support adding competitor domains for side-by-side keyword-level ranking columns. Use Keyword Gap for that comparison view. - Will the side-by-side competitor column return to reports? We cannot confirm roadmap timelines in this article. If this is important to your workflow, share your feedback using the in-platform feedback option so the product team can prioritize accordingly. - How often does Keyword Gap data refresh? Keyword Gap data is updated regularly based on our crawl and index cycles. For the most current snapshot, run a fresh analysis at any time. 💬 Need More Help? If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

📊 Track Competitor Rankings and Schedule Reports

Overview Search Atlas supports tracking how your website and your competitors rank for the same keywords within your projects. You can also include ranking data in reports that are delivered on a schedule. This article provides general guidance on these capabilities. Because specific UI steps and feature names may vary, we recommend exploring the platform directly or reaching out to our team for hands-on assistance. Step 1: Set Up Rank Tracking With Competitor Domains To compare your rankings against competitors, you will need to add competitor domains to a Rank Tracker project. 1. Locate the Rank Tracker area of the platform. 2. Open an existing project or create a new one. 3. Look for an option to add competitor domains within the project settings, and enter the domains you want to track alongside your own site. 4. Add the keywords you want to monitor and save your changes. Once tracking is active, Search Atlas will begin collecting ranking data for both your domain and your competitor domains across all tracked keywords. Step 2: View Competitor Rankings per Keyword After your project has collected data, you can compare rankings against competitors. 1. Navigate to your Rank Tracker project. 2. Open the keyword data view within the project. 3. Look for a table or view that shows ranking positions for your domain alongside each competitor domain you added, so you can review them side by side. 4. Use any available filters to narrow results by keyword, ranking position, or competitor. This gives you a comparable view of how you and your competitors are performing for tracked keywords. Step 3: Add Competitor Ranking Data to Scheduled Reports Search Atlas includes reporting functionality that allows you to include ranking data — including competitor rankings — in automated reports. 1. Locate the Reports section of the platform. 2. Create a new report or open an existing one you want to update. 3. When selecting what data to include, look for options related to Rank Tracker or keyword rankings. This can pull in data for your domain and any competitors configured in your tracking project. 4. Once your report is configured, look for scheduling or automated delivery options. 5. Set your preferred delivery frequency, add recipient email addresses, and save. Your scheduled report will then automatically include competitor ranking data at each delivery interval. Tips for Best Results - Add competitors early: Rank Tracker only collects data from the date competitors are added, so the sooner you add them, the more historical comparison data you will have. - Review regularly: Check your competitor ranking data periodically to spot trends and adjust your strategy accordingly. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

📊 Understanding Site Metrics Competitor Visibility Data

🔍 What Is Perplexity Visibility in Site Explorer? Site Explorer includes a Perplexity visibility metric that measures how often a domain appears as a cited or recommended source within Perplexity AI responses. This gives you a clear picture of how well any domain performs in AI-driven search environments. This metric is not limited to your own domain. Site Explorer is designed to display visibility data for any domain you choose to analyse, including competitor domains. This is a core feature of the tool, not an error. 🗺️ How to Navigate to Site Explorer To access Site Explorer, go to the left sidebar and select Site Metrics (Site Explorer). You can also navigate directly to /site-explorer/list. From there you can explore sub-sections including: - Keyword Magic — Left sidebar → Keywords → Keyword Magic - Rank Tracker — Left sidebar → Keywords → Rank Tracker - Keyword Gap — Left sidebar → Keywords → Keyword Gap ❓ Why Does Site Explorer Show a Different Domain Than the One I Was Recommended? If you were recommended noirportrait.com as your primary domain but Site Explorer is displaying Perplexity visibility data for primenoirphoto.com, there are two likely explanations: 1. You or a team member entered primenoirphoto.com manually into the Site Explorer search or comparison field. Site Explorer will analyse and display data for whichever domain is entered, regardless of which domain is your recommended or primary site. 2. A competitor comparison was set up that includes primenoirphoto.com. Site Explorer allows you to benchmark multiple domains side by side, so a competitor domain may be displayed alongside or instead of your primary domain depending on the active view. The platform does not automatically replace your recommended domain. It simply shows data for the domain that is currently loaded in the tool. 📈 Why Is Competitor Visibility Data Useful? Seeing Perplexity visibility data for competitor domains is intentional and valuable. It allows you to: - Understand how competitor sites are performing in AI-generated search results - Identify content gaps where competitors are gaining AI visibility that you are not - Benchmark your own domain's Perplexity visibility against similar sites in your niche - Prioritise content and SEO efforts based on where competitors are winning Competitor visibility data is a feature, not a flaw. Seeing a domain other than your own does not mean something has gone wrong. ✅ How to View Your Recommended Domain Instead If you want to see Perplexity visibility data specifically for your recommended domain, follow these steps: 1. Go to Left sidebar → Site Metrics (Site Explorer). 2. Locate the domain input or search field at the top of the page. 3. Clear the existing domain entry and type in your recommended domain, for example noirportrait.com. 4. Press Enter or click the search button to load that domain's data. 5. The Perplexity visibility metrics and all other Site Explorer data will now reflect your recommended domain. ⚠️ Is There Anything Misleading About This Display? The display is not misleading by design. Site Explorer shows exactly what you ask it to show. If a domain that is not your primary site appears, it is because that domain was entered or selected in the tool. There is no automatic substitution or misrepresentation of data happening behind the scenes. If you are unsure which domain is your recommended primary domain, you can check your OTTO SEO settings by navigating to Left sidebar → OTTO SEO → SEO Automation (URL: /seo-automation-v3). Your primary domain and SEO recommendations are configured there. 💡 Quick Summary - Site Explorer shows Perplexity visibility for any domain you enter, including competitors. - Seeing a competitor domain does not mean your recommended domain has been replaced or that there is a technical issue. - This is a comparison and benchmarking feature, not a defect. - To view your own domain's data, simply enter your recommended domain into the Site Explorer search field. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

Manage Competitors in the Competitive Positioning Map

📌 What Is the Competitive Positioning Map? The Competitive Positioning Map is a bubble chart inside Search Atlas that visually compares your website against competitors across key SEO metrics. Each bubble on the chart represents a domain. Keeping your competitor list accurate ensures the chart gives you meaningful, actionable insights. 🔍 How to Access the Competitive Positioning Map 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Navigate to the Competitive Positioning Map feature within the platform. 3. Your current competitors will appear as bubbles on the chart alongside your own domain. ➕ How to Add or Remove Competitors on the Map The Competitive Positioning Map lets you control which competitor domains appear as bubbles on the chart. If you are unsure where to find the competitor management controls, or if the option does not appear as expected, please have the following ready before reaching out to support so we can resolve it as quickly as possible: - Your project name or the domain you are tracking - The competitor domain(s) you want to add or remove - A description of what you are trying to do (e.g., add a new competitor, remove an existing one, or replace a competitor with a different domain) - Any error message or unexpected behavior you are seeing, with a screenshot if possible 🔄 How to Replace or Update an Existing Competitor If you need to swap one competitor domain for another on the chart, this typically involves removing the existing entry and adding the new domain in its place. If you encounter any difficulty completing this within the platform, gather the details listed above and contact our support team for step-by-step guidance. 💡 Tips for Choosing the Right Competitors - Focus on direct competitors: Choose domains that target the same keywords and audience as your website. - Mix competitor sizes: Include a range of smaller, similar-sized, and larger domains to understand your full competitive landscape. - Review regularly: Revisit your competitor list periodically to make sure it still reflects your actual competitive environment. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔍 How to Research a Competitor's AI Search Strategy

This article explains how to use Search Atlas to go beyond surface-level competitor data and build a deeper picture of a rival's AI search strategy — including their keyword footprint, content gaps, and ranking trends that signal how well they are optimized for AI-powered search results. 📍 Where to Find It All of the core tools for this workflow are found in the left sidebar. From there you can access: - Keyword Magic — discover the keyword universe a competitor may be targeting (Left sidebar → Keywords → Keyword Magic) - Rank Tracker — monitor how a domain's rankings shift over time across target keywords - Keyword Gap — compare your keyword coverage against a competitor's to find strategic opportunities 🛠️ Step-by-Step 1. Start with a domain-level keyword audit. Navigate to Left sidebar → Keywords → Keyword Magic and enter the competitor's domain. Review the keywords they rank for, paying close attention to informational and question-based queries — these are strong signals of AI search optimization, as AI overviews and LLM citations tend to pull from content that directly answers questions. 2. Identify their ranking trajectory. Go to Left sidebar → Keywords → Rank Tracker (Keyword Rank Tracker) and add the competitor's key terms to a tracking list. Look for clusters of keywords that have risen recently — consistent upward movement on informational queries often indicates content structured for AI-readable formats (clear headings, direct answers, structured data). 3. Run a keyword gap analysis. Open Left sidebar → Keywords → Keyword Gap and enter both your domain and the competitor's domain. Filter results to surface keywords the competitor ranks for that you do not — especially any that appear to be conversational, long-tail, or answer-intent queries. These represent direct gaps in your AI search coverage relative to theirs. 4. Evaluate content structure signals. For the competitor's top-performing URLs surfaced in any of the above tools, manually review their page structure. Note whether they use FAQ sections, concise definitional paragraphs, or structured headers — these are patterns associated with content cited in AI-generated answers. 5. Document your findings by intent category. Organize the competitor's keyword set into intent buckets (informational, navigational, transactional). A competitor with a strong AI search strategy will typically show heavy density in the informational tier, particularly on topics relevant to their core product or service area. ✅ How to Confirm It Worked You will know your analysis is complete and actionable when you can answer the following questions with data pulled directly from the tools above: - Keyword footprint confirmed: You have a filtered list of the competitor's informational and question-based keywords from Keyword Magic. - Ranking trends visible: Rank Tracker shows at least one tracked keyword cluster for the competitor with visible position history. - Gap list exported: Keyword Gap has returned a list of terms the competitor ranks for that your domain does not — and you have flagged the highest-priority targets for content development. If the competitor domain returns limited data in any tool, this itself is a signal — low keyword footprint in informational queries suggests they are not yet strongly optimized for AI search, which may represent an opportunity for your own strategy. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

📊 Download Your Keyword Gap Rankings Report

📋 What Is the Keyword Gap Tool? The Keyword Gap tool in Search Atlas lets you compare keyword rankings across multiple domains — including your own site and competitors. This is especially useful for niche industries like gym or fitness websites, where identifying ranking opportunities can directly inform your content strategy. 🔍 How to Access the Keyword Gap Tool 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Navigate to the Keyword Gap tool from the main navigation menu. 3. Enter the domains you want to compare — for example, your gym website and competitor domains. 4. Run the analysis to generate the keyword gap report. 📥 How to Download the Keyword Gap Report Once your Keyword Gap analysis has loaded, look for an export or download option within the results area to save your data locally. The available export format will depend on your plan and the options shown in the interface at the time of your analysis. If you do not see a download option after the report has fully loaded, wait a moment for all results to finish processing and then check again. If the option is still not visible, our support team can confirm the exact steps for your account and plan. 💡 Tips for Getting the Most from Keyword Gap - Compare niche competitors: For gym or fitness websites, enter the URLs of local or national competitors that rank for relevant terms like "personal training" or "gym membership." - Filter your results: Use any available filters in the results view to narrow down keywords by the metrics most relevant to your strategy. - Cross-reference with Rank Tracker: Use the Rank Tracker tool within Search Atlas to monitor how your rankings change over time after acting on gap insights. ⚠️ Troubleshooting Common Issues - No download option visible: Ensure the analysis has fully loaded before looking for the export option. If results are still processing, wait a few seconds and try again. - Unexpected or unrelated keywords in results: Try re-running the analysis or adjusting the domains you entered to ensure they are correct. - Report is empty: Double-check that the domains you entered are correct and publicly indexed. New or low-authority domains may return limited data. 🛠️ Need More Help? If you are unsure where to find the download option or the steps above do not match what you see in your account, please have the following ready when you reach out: your project or domain name, the specific screen or step where you are stuck, and any error messages you see. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔍 How to Add and Track Competitors in Search Atlas

🗺️ Overview Search Atlas lets you monitor competitor websites directly alongside your own site metrics. Once competitors are added, you can compare keyword rankings, traffic estimates, and visibility data — all in one place. This article shows you exactly where to find the feature and how to set it up. 📍 Where to Find the Competitors Feature The Competitors feature lives inside Site Metrics. Follow these steps to get there: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. In the left sidebar, click Site Metrics. 3. Select the site you want to work with from your list. 4. Once inside your site, click the Competitors tab to add or remove competitors. The direct URL for Site Metrics is /site-explorer/list — you can also navigate there by pasting that path after your platform's base URL. ➕ How to Add a Competitor After opening Site Metrics for your chosen domain, follow these steps to add a competitor: 1. Locate the Competitors section within the dashboard. 2. Click Add Competitor (or the + button, depending on your view). 3. Enter the competitor's domain (for example, competitordomain.com) in the input field. 4. Click Save or Confirm to add them to your tracking list. 5. Repeat for any additional competitors you want to monitor. You can add multiple competitors and they will appear alongside your own site data for easy comparison. 📊 What You Can Do with Competitor Data Once competitors are added, you can use other Site Metrics tools to dig deeper into the comparison: - Keyword Gap (Left sidebar → Site Metrics → Keyword Gap) — Discover keywords your competitors rank for that you do not, so you can close the gap. - Rank Tracker (Left sidebar → Keywords → Rank Tracker (Keyword Rank Tracker)) — Track how your rankings compare to competitors over time. - Keyword Magic (Left sidebar → Keywords → Keyword Magic) — Research new keyword opportunities based on competitor insights. 💡 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Competitor Tracking - Add your top three to five direct competitors for the most actionable comparison data. - Use their root domain only (for example, example.com) rather than specific page URLs unless you are targeting a particular section. - Check back regularly — competitor rankings shift, and fresh data helps you spot new opportunities quickly. - Pair the Competitors feature with Keyword Gap to build a prioritised content plan based on real ranking differences. 🛠️ Troubleshooting If you run into any issues adding competitors or if the feature does not appear in your dashboard, try the following: - Make sure you have selected an active project or domain inside Site Metrics before looking for the Competitors section. - Confirm that your subscription plan includes the Competitors feature — some plan tiers may have limits on the number of competitors you can track. - Refresh the page if the competitor domain does not appear immediately after saving. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔍 Add and Access Competitors in Search Atlas

🌐 Overview Tracking your competitors in Search Atlas lets you benchmark your SEO performance, uncover keyword gaps, and monitor how rival domains rank over time. This article explains the general process for adding competitors and accessing competitor data across the platform. 🏁 Where to Add Competitors Competitors in Site Explorer (Site Metrics) are managed from the left sidebar. Go to Left sidebar → Site Metrics, select your site, and open Competitors in the site's left sub-navigation, where you can add or remove competitor domains. Enter your competitor's root domain (e.g., competitor.com — without https:// or trailing slashes) and save your changes. The competitor will then be tracked alongside your primary domain. You can add multiple competitors. We recommend adding your top three to five direct competitors for the most actionable insights. 📊 Accessing Competitor Data Across Tools Once competitors are added, their data becomes available across several tools in Search Atlas, including ranking comparisons and keyword gap analysis. Explore the tools in your project dashboard to view side-by-side data between your domain and your tracked competitors. 📍 Competitor Insights in Local SEO If you manage local SEO, competitor context may also be available within the local section of the platform. Check your project or local dashboard to explore how your performance compares within your local market. 💡 Tips for Getting the Most from Competitor Tracking - Use exact root domains — Enter domains without https:// or trailing slashes (e.g., competitor.com) to ensure accurate data matching. - Check ranking tools regularly — Competitor rankings update on your chosen tracking frequency, so check back after each refresh cycle for the latest data. - Use keyword gap features — These are the fastest way to find quick-win keywords your competitors already rank for. - Update competitors as needed — You can add or swap competitor domains at any time from the Competitors section in Site Explorer. 🛠️ Troubleshooting Common Issues - Competitor domain not appearing — Confirm the domain is entered as a root domain without protocols or trailing slashes (e.g., competitor.com, not https://competitor.com/). - No competitor data showing — It may take some time after adding a competitor for data to populate. If data does not appear after a reasonable period, reach out to the support team for assistance. - Unsure where to find the competitor settings — For Site Explorer, competitor management is located under Left sidebar → Site Metrics → select your site → Competitors. If you cannot locate the correct section, our support team can guide you directly. If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

🔍 Competitor Keywords Strategy: How to Find and Use What Your Competitors Rank For

One of the fastest ways to grow your organic presence is to understand what keywords your competitors are already ranking for — and then build a strategy around that insight. Search Atlas makes this straightforward with dedicated tools designed for competitor keyword analysis. Here is how to get started: - Step 1 — Open the Keyword Researcher tool. Navigate to the Keyword Researcher tool inside Search Atlas. This tool gives you access to advanced metrics including keyword difficulty and intent alignment, which help you evaluate and refine your competitor analysis. - Step 2 — Enter your competitor's domain. Type in the domain of the competitor you want to research and run your search. - Step 3 — Review the keyword data. Search Atlas generates a full list of the keywords that competitor ranks for, along with search volume, ranking positions, and estimated traffic data for each term. - Step 4 — Copy the relevant keywords. Identify the keywords that are a good fit for your site and add them to your own keyword list. - Step 5 — Prioritize and act. Work these keywords into your content strategy by prioritizing them based on difficulty and relevance, then begin creating new content or optimizing existing pages to target those terms. This process helps you close topical gaps, stay competitive in your niche, and accelerate your content coverage. To go even deeper, Search Atlas also offers the Keyword Gap tool and the Keyword Magic Tool for uncovering additional keyword opportunities that your competitors may have that you have not yet targeted. When you select competitors in Search Atlas, the platform automatically creates analysis instances under both Keyword Gap Analysis and Backlink Gap Analysis, giving you a more complete competitive picture in one workflow. If you have questions about any of these tools or need help interpreting your competitor data, you can chat with a human teammate directly through the in-app live chat widget.

🛠️ GHL Keyword Gap Analysis CSV Export Returning an Empty File

The Keyword Gap Analysis CSV export bug that produced completely empty files — no headers, no data rows — on all four tabs has been resolved. Re-export your data now to receive a fully populated CSV. ⚠️ What the Issue Was Clicking Export on the Keyword Gap Analysis page in GHL downloaded a CSV file that was completely empty — no column headers and no data rows — regardless of which tab was active. The keyword data remained fully visible on screen but did not transfer to the exported file. Any exports downloaded while the bug was active should be re-downloaded to ensure the file contains complete data. 📋 Which Tabs Were Affected All four tabs on the Keyword Gap Analysis page returned empty CSV files during the affected period: - Keywords in Common - Keyword Opportunities - Unique Keywords - All Keywords Keyword Gap Analysis and CSV export are available to all accounts with Keyword Explorer access. 📊 How to Export Keyword Gap Analysis Data Now The export function is fully restored. To download your keyword data: 1. In the left sidebar, click Keyword Explorer, then select Keyword Gap Analysis from the sub-menu. 2. Select the tab you want to export: Keywords in Common, Keyword Opportunities, Unique Keywords, or All Keywords. 3. Click the Export button. 4. Save the CSV file to your device. The downloaded file now includes all column headers and data rows shown on screen. 🛠️ What to Do If the CSV Is Still Empty If a newly downloaded CSV still appears empty, try the following steps: - Refresh the Keyword Gap Analysis page and attempt the export again. - Confirm that data is visible on the selected tab before exporting — an empty table will always produce an empty file. - Clear your browser cache, then retry the export. - Switch to a different browser and attempt the export again to rule out a local caching issue. - If the issue persists after all steps above, contact Search Atlas Support with your account details and a screenshot of the empty file so the team can investigate. 🎯 The Keyword Gap Analysis CSV export now works correctly across all four tabs. If you previously downloaded an empty file, re-run your export to retrieve your complete keyword data — and reach out to Search Atlas support if any issues persist.